Moth-catcher for bee-hives



(No Model.)

I. Q. HOLMES.

MOTH GATGHER FOR BEE HIVES. No. 284,014. Patented Aug. 28, 1881?.4

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' UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

ISAAC Q. HOLMES, OF CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS.

MOTH-CATCHER FOR BEE-HIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 284,014, dated August 28, 1883,

Application filed May 3, 1883. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Isiinc Q. HoLMEs, of Clarksville, in the county of Johnson and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful lImprovements in Moth-Catchers for Bee-Hives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others over the entrance of a bee-hive.

skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements to be used in connection with a bee-hive; and it has for its object to entrap and catch the common bee-moth, which have proved so destructive to the culture of bees; and to this end it consists in a cage or trap of the eonstructionhereinafter described, and having projecting or radiating npwardlytherefrom flaring guides, by which the moth is directed into the trap below, the whole to be placed over the beeentrance to the hive in such manner as willbe set forth hereinafter.

Inl the drawings hereunto annexed, Figure l is a perspective view of my trap as located Fig. 2 is a top view of the cage, showing a door which is adapted to slide over and close up the opening therein.

Referring to the letters of reference marked thereon, A represents the cage, having a door, B, of' wire-gauze or equivalent, to permit its interior to be seen.

C is a funnel having a neck, c, which eX- tends down into the cage through an opening, a, therein at the top. rlhe cage is attached to the funnel by a hook, l), which funnel is preferably secured to the side of' the hive in any suitable manner.

Extending upward from the sides of the funnel in a* flaring manner are guides D D. Said guides, if desired, for convenience in packing for transportation, can be made in sections and joined together when in use inv any approved way.

The opening in the top of the cage, through which extends the neck of the funnel, lis

the trap is located as possible, so that the v moth alighting between them will be directed into the trap.

F is the bee-hive, and c c are the entrances thereto.

vIt will be seen-that the cage can be detached from the funnel without disturbing the other parts.

From a long experience in the culture of bees, and a careful watching and study of the habits of the moth, which have been so destructive in gaining access to the hives and destroying the eggs and honey, I have noticed that the moths never fly directly for the openingof the hive, but always alight somewhat above, and then crawl down and enter the hive. By placing my device above the beeentrance the moth will be attracted by the bees flying around beneath, and will consequently alight above, somewhere between the flaring guides D D, and crawl down into the cage and be caught.

The novelty of my trap will be apparent to all those who have been similarly troubled by these destructive insects.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is- Y 1. The combination of the cage herein deand the flaring guides, the whole placed over the bee-entrance to the hive, as and for the material, and sliding door E in its top for closing the opening therein, for the purpose set forth. f y 4. The combination, With a bee-hive, ofthe 5 flaring guides and funnel, the cage A, oonneeted to said funnel, as described, and having door B, of wire-gauze or equivalent material, and sliding door E in its top, the Whole situated over the bee-entrance to the hive, substantally in the manner and/ for the purpose 1o set forth. Y A

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ISAAC Q. HOLMES. Witnesses:

FRANK O. MCCLEARY, EDWARD E. ELLIS'. 

